Okay, so this past weekend some very poor choices were made by a couple of buddies of mine. They broke into a gas station while drunk and intoxicated (one has some serious alcohol issues) , and stole a couple of cartons of smokes. There is a positive I.D. on them from the store owner, but they have not been talked to by the police yet, and do not know if they know who it was. Basically I'm asking on their behalf what to do, and what to expect.

Okay, so maybe the Police will question them and maybe the Police won't. You already know that.

I don't understand how there is positive ID on "them" from the store owner but the Police don't know who committed the crime. It can't be both ways.

The usual advice is not to admit to anything. Your friends also are not required to talk to the Police. They will either be arrested or they won't. There's nothing else to say at this point.

Other than that I don't know what you are asking.

... Basically I'm asking on their behalf what to do, and what to expect.

Were you involved? If not, what JudyKayTee said. If so, that would be more complicated.

Legal answer: don't talk about this to anyone, your friends need to keep their mouth shut and not talk about this to friends ( who are the ones who always turn people in)
If questioned or arrested, they don't make any statements at all without an attorney.

Moral answer: they go back to the store, tell the owner they are sorry, they agree to pay them for all the damages and all of the items stolen.